


Formalities

by Squishy (squishy_with_glasses)



Series: Tales of a Summoner [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Childhood, Childhood Friends, Daddy Issues, Emotional Constipation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Reunions, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Headcanon, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Reunions, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:49:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29702913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squishy_with_glasses/pseuds/Squishy
Summary: Ever since they arrived, Kiran wasn’t sure what to think about Alfonse. He was always so aloof around them and the Heroes.It has been a few days since the Order of Heroes returned from their mission in the World of Radiance. The Askr trio is still recovering from learning about the truth behind Zacharias’ disappearance, Alfonse being affected the most. Kiran notices the Prince’s struggle and approaches him to lend an ear. Alfonse reflects on his past and how he should move forward.Takes place at the end of Book 1 of FE:H. This is the story of how Alfonse finally lets his walls down and gets close with Kiran.Part 1 - Shenanigans of the Order and Kiran’s thoughts on AlfonsePart 2 - Therapy time with Kiran ft. Alfonse
Relationships: Alfonse & Bruno | Zacharias, Alfonse & Summoner | Eclat | Kiran, Marth/Sheeda | Caeda
Series: Tales of a Summoner [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2182359
Comments: 11
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Summoner in this short is very attuned to emotions and kind of lurks and overhears conversations. This fic is very much my own thoughts and personal ideas about the characters. Alfonse, and Bruno particularly.  
> Small spoiler for Genealogy of the Holy War and Book 1 of FE:H. There’s a bit about Marth and Caeda’s relationship, though nothing really surprising.

When they first arrived, Kiran didn’t know how to approach Alfonse. On one hand, he was the Prince and heir to the throne of Askr, a person they would never be able to meet in their homeworld. On the other, he was a member of the Order of Heroes, a militia they were essentially the leader of. He stayed close enough to protect them and to perform his duty as the Prince of Askr but kept them at arm's distance in any other regard.

From the time they spent with Alfonse, Kiran learned that he felt duty-bound to his people and did whatever he could to protect them. He was serious by nature and acted aloof with all the Heroes with the only exceptions being his sister and Anna. When he wasn't training or doing things around the Order, he was busy fulfilling royal duties. His parents were absent from the capital, they had left for the frontlines of the Askr-Embla war. Alfonse took up their responsibilities. Sharena helped by doing some of their mother’s work but Alfonse took the brunt of the work saying, “it’s my duty as the eldest and heir to the throne.” With Alfonse constantly working and just avoiding pretty much everyone, Kiran rarely saw him other than on the battlefield. They learned more about the Prince from others than they ever did from him.

His enlistment into the Order of Heroes was contested by both the Askran people and his father. Some of the people thought he joined to play ‘hero’ while others shared the same concern of his father; he wasn’t ready. As heir to the throne, he couldn’t make rash decisions that would endanger his life or the lives he was protecting. Trained in the art of the blade since young, Alfonse could protect himself. It was his lack of experience compared to his enemies that was concerning. His death would cause waves that would affect the entire kingdom.

The sound of the door opening broke Kiran’s train of thought. Anna entered their office with a stack of papers in her hand.

“I got the report from today’s battle,” she shook the papers before placing it on top of the ever-constant pile of unfinished work.

“Thanks, Anna,” Kiran responded, wincing when their neck made an audible crack as they looked up at the commander.

“Take a break, Kiran. I can wait a few days for a report. Besides,” Anna said, eying Kiran’s red eyes, the candle stumps, and low burning oil lamps, “Alfonse would never let me hear the end of it if I broke the Great Hero. Dinner is being served in the mess hall anyways.”

“Alright, I’ll be right there,” Kiran sighed. They could sneak away after dinner to finish some more work. They enjoyed talking with the Heroes but today seemed particularly hectic and they just wanted to hide in their office.

They had performed a summoning that day and the new Heroes were so interesting to meet but they brought up their own set of incidents apart from the regular. The manaketes played a huge game of hide-and-seek-tag with the Heroes but there were a few arguments about cheating. (Note: Yes, Laguz and Beaststone users have an advantage with heightened senses. No, it’s not allowed to transform in the castle even if you’re playing hide and seek, do it outside). Kiran also learned the term, “Hero,” was applied very loosely. They were barely able to convince Ephraim from killing Valter on sight, the Wyvern Knight laughing maniacally in the background. The newly summoned also Grima didn’t take long to start taunting the other Heroes from the World of Awakening either.

Dinner was always interesting. From Jakob and Fredrick having set up elegant seating for their charges to reunited friends and family reconnecting, something was always happening. Kiran could see the sweat on Roy’s face as he tried to ignore Hector’s glare while he and Lilina talked to Eliwood, Roy’s father. They could hear Hector growing, “what are you doing with my daughter, boy?!” Heroes gravitated towards those from the same world, but plenty of Heroes could be seen eating their meals with newfound friends.

Meals rotated between the cuisines of different worlds to give Heroes a taste of home and others a chance to try something new. The Outrealms allowed the kitchen to cook foods beyond what could be found in Askr. That night’s meal was from Hoshido, in honour of the newly summoned Legendary Ryoma.

Dinner consisted of white rice, miso soup, a variety of seafood dishes, and various pickled vegetables. Kiran eyed the assortment of small cakes, jellies, and small dumplings covered in sugar that were for dessert.

_Gotta grab some of those..._

“Kiran! Over here!” A familiar voice cried out. Kiran scanned the mess hall to see Sharena waving her hand, gesturing for them to come over.

Once the summoner was seated, Sharena immediately launched into a story about her day.

“-and I thought I was going to cry! When I showed Sigurd that Seliph was here, he rushed over and hugged him. Sigurd apologized for leaving him and dying and when Seliph started to cry, I was so close to tears. I’m so glad I could reunite them!” Sharena beamed. When she had learned that Heroes from other worlds were related, she took it upon herself to help them reunite. Kiran looked over to the table where Sigurd and Seliph were talking, they could see a glimmer in Seliph’s eye that wasn’t there before.

“Nice work Sharena,” Kiran smiled. They always felt guilty pulling Heroes from their worlds, especially if they were the first ones. Seliph had been one of the first Heroes they had summoned and hadn’t summoned anyone else from his world. Eventually, Kiran summoned Ares but it didn’t make the situation any better. Heroes could be summoned from different points in their world’s timeline. Seliph was summoned when he had just received the Life Ring whereas Ares was summoned before he met Nanna and thus still bore a grudge against the young Scion of Light.

Tearing their eyes away from the father-son duo, Kiran noticed Alfonse walking into the mess hall while in deep conversation with the honoured Hero of the night. Giving the Hoshidan prince a bow, who responded with his own, the Askran prince walked over to Kiran’s table and took a seat across from them and beside Anna.

“What was the bow for?” Sharena asked.

“Bowing is an important part of Hoshidan culture. It’s a form of respect, gratitude, apologies, or simple greetings. Prince Ryoma doesn’t mind that the other Heroes don’t know but as the hosting Prince, I’d like to respect their culture as much as possible,” Alfonse explained.

“That’s so interesting! I need to learn more about Heroes, there are so many things I didn’t know.”

“As important as it is to learn about the other worlds, you should finish reading about your own first, Sharena.”

“I will, I will,” Sharena waved off her brother. “There’s so much to do with all the Heroes in the castle.”

“Indeed,” Alfonse nodded, “is there something on your mind, Summoner?” He glanced over to the hooded figure who was staring blankly at their food.

“Huh? Oh, I was just thinking that Hoshido resembles a country in my world,” Kiran said.

“Really? Maybe they’re connected somehow!” Sharena wondered, her eyes lighting up. “Tell us about your world, Kiran.”

“Yes, that is…” Alfonse trailed off. He looked like he wanted to say something else but kept it to himself.

As Kiran started explaining the similarities Hoshido had with Japan, they noticed Alfonse listening intently while pretending to analyze the food. He made small comments and questions during the conversation but never quite joined it.

The night went on as Kiran’s conversation with Sharena shifted from Japan and Hoshido to the recently summoned Heroes.

“Marth looks so handsome in his wedding suit, but I don’t understand how he fights with that weapon. It looks like some big metal fan,” Sharena giggled. “The other Marth was so surprised to see him, in wedding clothes no less!” When the two Marths saw each other, it was a bit of a spectacle. Groom Marth had been participating in the battle for the ceremonial Wedding Bouquet to give to Caeda while the other Marth had yet to confess his feelings in his world.

•~•*•~•

_“It’s quite a surprise to see another version of myself here,” the Altean Groom remarked. Groom Marth had just arrived with the other recently summoned Heroes to the common area of the barracks._

_“Indeed, it is. I feel like I’m looking into a mirror, but my reflection is not as it seems,” Marth agreed. The Altean prince looked over the other version of himself. It appeared that this Marth was a bit older than he was and dressed in what appeared to be a wedding suit._

_“May I ask what you are dressed for?” Marth asked._

_“I was just getting ready to take part in the battle for the Wedding Bouquet. Legend says that those who hold the bouquet are blessed with a happy marriage. I was hoping to win it for Caeda,” Groom Marth grinned sheepishly, a light blush dusting his cheeks. Marth’s face became a similar shade of pink as he took in his counterpart’s words. A certain princess in white and gold armour grinned to herself as she rushed out of the common rooms towards the kitchen._

_“Ca-Caeda?”_

_“Yes, we are to wed soon,” Groom Marth smiled softly, his mind becoming occupied with his bride-to-be. “She accepted my proposal soon after the war ended.” Marth nodded, his face still pinkish as some of the tension his shoulders left upon hearing the war that he had been fighting, would end._

_Soon to be wed… he would marry Caeda?_

_“Marth? I heard another Marth had been summoned,” a new voice rang through the air as Marth’s face became completely red. Although she wasn’t_ **_his_ ** _Caeda, she was still_ **_Caeda_ ** _._

_“Ah... well, yes. Another Marth has been summoned. It appears he comes from a time past both of our own,” Marth gestured to his older self, trying to ignore how his ears started to burn. Both Marths turned towards Caeda. Her hair had been pulled back into a high ponytail and an apron thrown over her regular clothes._

_“It’s nice to meet another Marth here,” Caeda greeted with a smile, looking over the familiar but different form of the Altean prince._

_“It is a pleasure to meet another Caeda as well,” the groom smiled back._

_“Might I ask why you are dressed like that?”_

_“He is, uh. Well, he is dressed for…er, you see he, uh...” Marth spluttered, not knowing what to say to the curious princess. Groom Marth didn’t immediately reply either. He awkwardly scratched his nose as he tried to figure out what to say._

_Sharena giggled to herself as she watched the two blushing Altean princes try to explain themselves to the confused Talys princess._

•~•∙•~•

“They were blushing so much! Seeing the legendary Hero-King become flustered over his future wife was so cute,” Sharena gushed as she recounted the meeting. “They were going to meet eventually, I just sped up the process!”

“Sharena…” Kiran felt exasperated by the girl’s antics. It was harmless bringing the future rulers of Archanea together, but it definitely wasn’t the first (nor the last) of Sharena’s shenanigans.

“I can’t wait to talk to the Hoshidans, especially since they share so many similarities to ‘Japan’ from your world. But I guess I’ll do that tomorrow,” Sharena said, covering a yawn with her hand. “It’s so exhausting meeting so many new Heroes! I have breakfast duty tomorrow, so I guess I’ll turn in now. Good night, Kiran.”

“Good night, Sharena,” Kiran waved as Sharena left the mess hall. Anna had left the table a bit ago, muttering something about a new Outrealm. They weren’t sure where Alfonse went. He was rather interested in Kiran’s homeworld but might have left soon after they changed topics.

There were many times Kiran would talk about small details of their world at Heroes’ requests but Alfonse, despite his clear interest, never asked himself. He would ask his own questions when Sharena started a conversation but stopped himself before it got deeper.

Kiran would think Alfonse had no interest in the Heroes, apart from having new people in the castle, if they hadn’t been looking closely. Unless asked, he would refrain from sparing with Heroes, ignoring how he lit up when analyzing new fighting styles and battle tactics. He rarely talked with any of the Heroes about their worlds. Yet, more than once did Kiran see him in the corner of the library, nose deep in a book about a Hero’s world.

It wasn’t hard to figure out the prince was a bookworm and a total history buff. Any questions Kiran had about Zenith could easily be answered by the prince. As they went to more Outrealms during festivals, the prince would be found talking to the local Heroes about their traditions. It always confused them why Alfonse would speak to those Heroes but stayed away from the ones in his own castle. He had a love of reading and learning that went further than what his studies required but was reluctant to ask those around him.

Of course, straight out asking why Alfonse avoided people would be too awkward and he would never start that type of conversation.

_Maybe he just doesn’t like me? He’s cordial enough but never wants to linger._

Kiran emerged from their thoughts when the sounds of laughter became more boisterous. It seemed someone had found sake, and more than a few Heroes started drinking contests. The Shepherds from the World of Awakening were being particularly rowdy. The Hoshidans started explaining different drinking games and Kiran took the chance to leave.

Scooping up two fish-shaped cakes, Kiran sneaked out of the mess hall. Bartre’s and Gregor’s voices could be heard breaking out into a drinking song as they made their way to their office. Taking a bite from one of the fish cakes (Kiran was delighted to find it filled with red bean paste), they stepped into their office and lit the oil lamps. The room was soon washed in a warm glow. They wrapped the remaining cake in a cloth and set it aside. Kiran picked up the report they were working on and tried to focus on recounting the details of the battle.

Most likely due to the Breidablik, Kiran and the Heroes had no trouble understanding and speaking Askran. Sadly, that did not extend to written words. They could read it (again, Breidablik) but trying to write it was much harder. The script had elements from the various languages of the Heroes’ worlds and learned it in a matter of days after arriving. Kiran had no such luck and had to spend the first few weeks taking a crash course in writing Askran. Askran characters were completely different from their native language. The sentence structure and grammar often tripped them up too.

Kiran was well versed in the Askran script now, having written dozens of reports, but just couldn’t focus on the paper in front of them. They stared blankly at the paper, pen in hand and ready to write but no words were coming to them. Putting the pen down with a sigh, Kiran decided they would listen to Anna and get it done tomorrow.

Slipping the wrapped cake into one of their pockets, Kiran turned off the oil lamps and closed the door. Walking towards their bedchamber, they took a right turn. After taking a wrong turn one night, they had found a lounge that was connected to a balcony near their room. The balcony had an amazing view of the capital city. Other than for cleaning, hinted by the lack of dust, no one was ever in the room. It was a perfect place for Kiran to get some fresh air and quiet away from the craziness of the Order.

The cool night felt nice against Kiran’s face as they let the gilded doors click behind them. Leaning over the railings, they looked at the glowing city below them. Their mind began to wander, their thoughts brought back to the Prince.

It would be impossible to not work together but talking about anything except work with him was rare. Any chance they started speaking casually, Alfonse would abruptly stop and excuse himself. Kiran thought back to when they met Bruno, known as Zacharias to the Askran trio, the eldest Prince of Embla. Bruno had befriended the royal siblings under the alias after being exiled from his country. He taught Sharena how to wield a lance and joined the Order of Heroes with her and Alfonse. But, a bloodline curse started to take control, compelling him to kill his Askran friends. He left the Order after attempting to kill Alfonse and disappeared, leaving the group under the cover of night. Bruno revealed he had been researching how to resist the curse in the year of his disappearance.

This revelation left Alfonse unusually quiet on their march back to the castle. Learning his lost friend was alive but must stay away due to a curse squashed any joy the reunion brought.

Kiran recalled what Bruno told them before disappearing again.

•~•*•~•

_“I’m counting on you to look after my friends, Kiran. And if I ever make another attempt on Alfonse’s or Sharena’s life...” The masked prince took a shuddery breath._

_“Kill me. Consider it my last request…”_

•~•∙•~•

Kill Bruno?

Kill _Zacharias_?

The man was dear to both Alfonse and Sharena. The grief and fury Alfonse held when Bruno claimed to kill his alias was heart-wrenching. Although Alfonse seemed fine when they returned from that mission, he was even more distant and buried himself in work.

_It’s one thing killing soldiers that were trying to kill you or fighting other Heroes to surrender. But, to kill a man for a curse he can’t control?_

Kiran was fortunate enough to grow up in a peaceful country and never experienced war. It took a lot of adjusting when they arrived and immediately thrown into one. A few nightmares and some new scars, they had become accustomed to their new situation. That didn’t mean they wanted to kill.

Kiran sighed,

 _How would I feel? Finding a once thought dead friend was alive but wished to die? Huh, like_ **_shit_** _._

Letting out another sigh, Kiran looked up into the sky. The sun had gone down at this point and the stars had come out to play, the crescent moon smiling down on them. They had known a handful of constellations in their homeworld, but these were no longer their stars. Still, the sight of the sparkling stars brought a sense of wonder to the summoner.

_This is a sight you can’t see in my cities._

Kiran snapped out of their daze when they heard the balcony doors click open. Turning around, they saw a familiar blue-haired, blond-tipped prince who was as surprised seeing Kiran as they were him.

“Summoner. My apologies, I didn’t mean to disturb you. Pardon me.” Alfonse looked annoyed when he realized it was Kiran and glared at the tiled floor. Kiran took this moment to look at the prince. It was surprising to see the prince was out of his usual armour, having changed in favour of a simple cotton shirt and pants. He shuffled his sandaled feet as his damp hair glistened slightly from the moonlight.

“It’s OK, you didn’t know,” Kiran assured. They looked at Alfonse’s annoyed look. “Am I… not allowed here?”

“Of course not, why would you say that?”

“Oh, well,” Kiran paused, “you just looked annoyed, so I assumed that something was wrong.”

“No, not at all,” Alfonse said startled, his face becoming uneasy. “I just didn’t expect anyone would be here. I am at fault for not being more aware.”

“Don’t worry about it, it’s impossible to see through those doors so you wouldn’t have been able to see me,” Kiran said. “Would you, um...”

_It’s too late for either of us to have duties and we’re secluded enough that no one will interrupt. If you want to talk to him, now is the chance!_

“Would you like to, uh, join me?” Kiran internally winces when the end of the question became more of a whisper.

“Are you sure? I don’t mean to intrude,” Alfonse replied, surprised at the offer.

“You aren’t intruding if I offer.”

“... if you say so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out much longer than I thought. Splitting it into two parts to make it flow better.  
> Yes, I think the castle has oil lamps and whatnot. I don’t think they would have electricity, but you can see lamps in the Aether Resorts so yeah.  
> Also, apologies, I haven’t played Genealogy so what I wrote was based on the Fire Emblem Wikia pages. Please forgive and correct me if I made a mistake. (Reading up on Valter for this, he is a creepy piece of shit)  
> I summoned Sigurd as my first 5* red unit, and so I created a small attachment to him. He was my go-to unit for a long time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Accepting the Summoner's invitation, Alfonse finally starts talking to them. He reflects on the events of the last two years that came to a climax the previous week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed some details surrounding Bruno's disappearance. Some parts didn't fit the story so they don't exist here. We’re about to go through a bunch of Alfonse's past as he finally opens up. So time to learn more about Alfonse's childhood. It’s sad boi time.

Alfonse let the balcony door close as he joined the Summoner against the railing. They stood in awkward silence, neither sure what to do. Alfonse cursed his tired brain; he shouldn’t have said yes. He was trying to avoid the Summoner yet here he was, alone with them on a balcony making them feel uncomfortable. They were just being polite, inviting him, he should have thanked them and gone to bed.

As Alfonse was about to excuse himself, the Summoner finally spoke, “Alfonse, are you OK?”

Alfonse turned towards the Summoner, “I’m fine, why do you ask?” He was confused. The last few skirmishes hadn’t resulted in any serious injuries and he had been away from the battlefield the past week. The harvest season was approaching, and he had been busy working with Sharena to work out the logistics.

“Last week, when we last saw Bruno, you seemed pretty upset,” the Summoner said, fiddling with their sleeves.

_Oh._

**_That._ **

Seeing Zacharias, no, _Prince Bruno_ , had shocked him. In one day, his best friend who had disappeared was pronounced dead, revealed to be alive and afflicted with a bloodline curse that caused uncontrollable bloodlust. It was a bit much to take in. To know that Zacha- _Prince Bruno_ had tried to kill him, and Alfonse had almost killed Prince Bruno was also difficult to think about.

 _Zacharias_ had befriended Alfonse and Sharena when they met at the market in the city square years ago. Zacharias was fighting in a small tournament and had managed to finish in second place while being barely older than Alfonse. Alfonse and Sharena approached the foreigner, intrigued by both his fighting skills and unique appearance. After discovering their mutual interest in the various worlds of Heroes, they became fast friends.

Alfonse felt ashamed of how emotional he became when he learned of Zacharias’ identity, but he was sure he hid his emotions well enough after that. But if the Summoner was asking him, then he clearly didn’t do well enough. It was like his father said, he was too rash and sentimental.

He wasn’t particularly close to the Summoner and so he must’ve been noticeably upset for them to ask. It didn’t make sense otherwise. After Zacharias’ disappearance, Alfonse swore he wouldn’t get close to anyone from another world. They would return to their homeworld and leave Alfonse behind, just like Zacharias. He had tried to warn Sharena of the same thing, it would only hurt more when they left. But no matter what he said, she was adamant about befriending the Heroes.

“You’ve been kind of distant since we’ve returned. I mean, you guys were best friends. It must have been a huge surprise to see him and learn about the curse,” the Summoner said. Alfonse didn’t respond, he wasn’t sure how. Instead, he looked up at the starry sky, remaining silent.

“Is he… is he the reason why you won’t get close with anyone?” the Summoner’s voice was quiet, but it roared inside his head. Alfonse’s grip tightened on the railing, the pain, confusion, and betrayal he felt when Zacharias disappeared rushed back to him. When Prince Bruno claimed that he had killed Zacharias, his mind had flooded with anger. Alfonse had never felt so much rage and hatred before as he leaped into battle. He let out most of his anger during the fight. However, had it not been the Summoner stopping him, he would have killed Prince Bruno right then and there.

When Zacharias disappeared during a mission in the World of Awakening, Alfonse was convinced he had just left for an errand and would return. They were best friends; he wouldn’t leave without reason or at least a goodbye. But when there was no word from him, no sign of return, Alfonse was furious. At Zacharias for just up and disappearing, betraying their years of friendship, and hurting Sharena and Commander Anna. He was mad at his father who had kept Zacharias under close suspicion that bordered on hostility. His father argued with Alfonse over his friendship with a boy who had unknown origins. And he was mad at himself, for driving away his first real friend.

Growing up as the heir apparent made it difficult when trying to find friends. His studies and weapons training gave him less free time than his cohorts. The children of the castle workers would play with him, but many had already formed groups that were difficult to enter with his limited free time. His shyness made it even harder to approach the few that were willing to play with him. Some children were kept away by nervous parents who were scared he would be offended by their kids. Others seemed very friendly, sticking to him like glue whenever they could. However, his father warned Alfonse that their parents might be trying to use him as all their parents had been nobles. Trying to please his father and scared that people wanted to be friends with the Prince of Askr and not Alfonse had left him with a greater aversion to meeting new people.

When Sharena was born, Alfonse wanted to be the best big brother he could and thus spent most of his time with her. Her cheerful and outgoing personality made her more persistent and easygoing when it came to making friends. Her lighter studies also granted her more free time to meet other children. He tried to keep up with her energetic personality but when her antics became too much, he found solace in the library. He would get lost for hours in the mystical tales of Heroes. The great heroes who became wise and fair rulers inspired him to work even harder to become even a fraction of the leaders they were.

At the time his weapon training became more serious, choosing which weapon to specialize in, a Hero had decided to live in the castle. Growing up reading stories of brave heroes wielding legendary swords like the Falchion, Ragnell or the Tyrfing caused Alfonse to prefer swords. Seeing the Hero wielding one sealed his choice. The Hero helped train Alfonse with the sword, teaching him fighting styles that couldn’t be found in Askr. As a Hero from his childhood stories and being taught by them, Alfonse grew close with the Hero. He saw them as a mentor and someone he could look up to. Unfortunately, the Hero didn’t stay forever and returned to their world after a few years.

Meeting Zacharias was a breath of fresh air. Alfonse had just started his sword training when he saw the older boy in the city square. He didn’t know who Alfonse was and didn’t seem to care. He treated Alfonse as an equal and they just clicked. They laughed together, trained together, and joined the Order together. Joining the Order of Heroes caused many protests but being able to fight alongside his best friend and sister made all the arguments with his father worth it. Zacharias was also there when the Hero went home. He helped Sharena distract Alfonse with training and missions from the departure of his mentor.

It was why Zacharias' disappearance shocked him so much. There was no reason for his departure that Alfonse could think of. When Alfonse realized anger wasn’t going to do anything, he, Sharena, and Commander Anna started searching through the various worlds they had travelled to for Zacharias. They scoured each world, revisiting the World of Awakening dozens of times to see if they missed something. When he was grounded to the castle by his father who was mad at him for ‘gallivanting’ between worlds and skipping his studies, Alfonse buried himself in the library. He researched every archive that detailed the worlds of Heroes for even the smallest hint about his childhood friend.

‘ _He could be from a different world and had to return for some reason_ ,’ Alfonse tried to convince himself. Zacharias never revealed much about his past which made it hard to know where to look. ‘ _If he were from a different world, perhaps we could contact him through one of the rites from the various worlds. There has to be something here that could work, there has to_.' But when no clues could be found in the archives, no sign in any of the worlds they searched and the rites unable to stretch across worlds without the aid of the Great Hero, the Summoner, Alfonse fell into despondency. Sharena tried to keep her hopes up that maybe they would find something in the next world and if they just kept looking, a clue was bound to show up. Alfonse couldn’t match her perseverance.

It had been almost two years since Zacharias had disappeared and the war between Askr and Embla was escalating. Embla continued to invade worlds, enslave Heroes, and attack Askran cities. Alfonse and Sharena’s parents left for the frontlines causing Alfonse to become the King’s Proxy in his father’s absence. The search for Zacharias had to be postponed.

When Commander Anna had completed the rite and brought the Summoner to Askr, Alfonse felt a glimmer of hope. The Summoner could summon Zacharias or, at the very least, they could perform the rite and contact him. They could reunite and fight together again, like how things were before. There was a chance and Alfonse clung to it.

Meeting Prince Bruno for the first-time confused Alfonse. He wore a mask and fought with the Embla soldiers but declared to be allied with neither Embla nor Askr. He warned them of Veronica’s attack on the Summoning Ruins and claimed he knew about Zacharias. But then he revealed himself to be a Prince of Embla and battled them. The remaining goodwill Alfonse felt towards him vanished when Prince Bruno stated Zacharias, who had saved the Summoner only a day prior, had died by his hands. On their way to the World of Radiance to find him again after putting together the pieces of who Zacharias truly was, Alfonse’s head was filled with questions.

_Why did he hide his identity? Why ally himself with Embla? Why appear now after almost two years of disappearing? Why claim he killed himself? Why did he leave?_

**_Why didn’t he say goodbye?_ **

When Prince Bruno finally explained his past, an exiled prince who became friends with them to gain the power necessary to destroy Embla, Alfonse felt a familiar twinge of hurt and betrayal.

_He had become friends with them because they were the Prince and Princess of the Kingdom of Askr? Because of the power they could provide?_

But that ache disappeared slightly when Prince Bruno revealed he left to protect Alfonse and Sharena’s lives as the curse would cause their deaths. Zacharias did care for them, but Alfonse couldn’t ignore the small voice in his head that Zacharias had initially befriended the Prince and Princess and not Alfonse and Sharena.

Upon their return to the castle, Alfonse barricaded himself in his study, distracting himself with his work. He comforted Sharena who was happy at seeing their childhood friend again but disheartened he couldn’t rejoin them. He had shared a solemn nod with Commander Anna who was glad to have found her missing subordinate but unsure what to do.

Alfonse was equally at a loss. He wanted to help Prince Bruno, but he didn’t know where he went or where to start. He could try the rite again and contact him, but Prince Bruno made it clear that the royal Askran siblings should stay away. Getting too close to Prince Bruno posed a risk to Alfonse and Sharena but would also cause the curse to take over Prince Bruno.

_“Is he the reason why you won’t get close with anyone?”_

Well, Alfonse would be lying if he said, ‘no.’

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry if you don’t want to talk about it,” the Summoner’s voice snapped Alfonse out of his daze, looking worried. Alfonse continued to look at the smiling moon, his mind racing.

“... two years ago, I asked Zacharias on this balcony if he would continue to fight by my side, even as we grew older and I took the throne,” he finally said, eyes tracing the familiar night sky. “He didn’t reply, just smiled. I thought that meant ‘yes.’” The Summoner just stared at Alfonse, letting him speak.

“He was my first real friend.” Alfonse felt embarrassed admitting that, but the Summoner did not comment. It was a fact and most likely Zacharias was his only close friend. Other than Sharena and Commander Anna, he stayed polite but distant with everyone else, especially the Summoner and any of the Heroes. Sure, he considered Commander Anna a friend, but she was his commander. “I foolishly thought we would remain friends, brothers-in-arms until the end. But I was wrong. I couldn’t see past my own blissful happiness.” ‘ _It had to be the late hour or the emotional exhaustion from the past week_ ,’ Alfonse reasoned, his feelings flowing into words.

“I wouldn’t say that,” the Summoner stopped him, “you couldn’t have known he was a Prince of Embla or the bloodline curse.”

“But I should’ve. I’ve studied Emblian fighting. I can recognize their accent and his knowledge of the worlds of Heroes wasn’t something a normal citizen could know. I just ignored all the signs, blinded by the joy of making a friend,” Alfonse scowled, looking down and glaring at his clenched hands. He should have been able to put the pieces together but chose to ignore them.

“And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Alfonse looked at the Summoner, “you were a child when you met him and wouldn’t think of suspecting him.”

“My father did. My father warned me to be wary of Zacharias and his unknown background,” Alfonse said, his elbows propped up on the railing as he rested his forehead on his hands. He could hear his father’s voice berating him for revealing his identity as the Prince to someone he barely knew. “I needed to be more cautious of people. The previous war with Embla had ended at the death of Princess Veronica’s father but the relationship between us was strained. Tensions were rising and an assassination attempt on an enemy prince wouldn’t have been surprising.”

“That doesn’t automatically make every Emblian an enemy. Like Bruno, not all Emblians support the war. You can’t blame a person for the actions of their leaders, they do not represent everyone’s wants. Judging someone purely based on their background is close-minded and limiting,” the Summoner said firmly. “Besides, look at Marth’s or Chrom’s army. Their willingness to accept new allies aided them in their fight and showed that they could get along. And both of them are hailed as great rulers. Heck!” the Summoner threw their hands in the air, “In some instances, Chrom marries Robin, the princess of the enemy nation and literal vessel of the dragon that is the mortal enemy of his bloodline!” The Summoner had taken it upon themselves to read over the worlds of Heroes so they could better understand those they summoned. They had become well versed with the details of various worlds.

Alfonse turned the Summoner’s words over in his head. It was a known fact the two lords were trusting to a fault. Marth chased after a comrade that had been an assassin in disguise and refused to fight them. Chrom let Robin become the tactician of the Shepherds despite knowing nothing about them. Alfonse couldn’t find a fault in the Summoner’s words, but he still couldn’t help but feel unsure of himself.

“I shouldn’t have tried to force him to stay as my friend. It was selfish and unthoughtful,” Alfonse weakly said, revealing his final doubt.

“But it’s not. As you said, he was your first friend and you clearly share a deep bond with him,” although he couldn’t see them, Alfonse could tell the Summoner’s eyes were looking straight into his. “There’s nothing wrong wanting a friendship like that to last nor is it selfish, you guys grew up together. That’s the type of friend you hold on to. As we get older, it’s bittersweet as we leave some of our friendships behind. It’s always sad when you realize a friendship is over, but we can look back at our memories and know at that moment, we were happy. That the memories we shared are precious, despite having long passed. But this also doesn't mean your friendship with Bruno is over. You care for Bruno just as much as he cares for you. Hopefully, there will come a day when Bruno can control the curse and you guys can properly reunite,” the smile the Summoner gave Alfonse caused the centre of his chest to warm, “friendships like yours and Bruno’s can last, even if it takes some time before you can meet again.”

The warmth in Alfonse’s chest spread as the Summoner’s words sunk in. The comfort and support from the Summoner were things he rarely received. His father was always stern with Alfonse, increasingly so as he grew older. He knew his father would disapprove of his insecurities as a King needed to be confident in his ruling. As he grew up, he stopped talking with his mother who became busier as tensions rose between Askr and Embla. He didn’t want to burden her. He also didn’t want to show Sharena her older brother being so vulnerable and thus hid behind a mask of seriousness. Zacharias was the last person Alfonse had talked to about his feelings. Those talks never lasted long as neither wished to linger on the topic.

“But until then, ” the Summoner brought Alfonse out of his thoughts again, “don’t be scared to make new friends. I know someday the Heroes will return to their worlds but if you only focus on the time that they’ll be gone, you’ll miss out on the time they’ll be here.”

_Make new friends? With the Heroes…_

“I don’t remember exactly how it goes but there was a quote from my world: ‘ _T_ _he walls we build to keep out the sadness, keep out the happiness too._ ’ It’s sad when people leave us but the memories we made with them is what makes it worthwhile,” the Summoner seemed melancholic, most likely reminiscing about their own past friendships. “Someone who can laugh with you but also be there to pick you up when you fall down,” the Summoner shook their head, “finding someone like that can be hard. So when you, don’t let go.”

They slid their hands into their pocket before freezing and pulling something wrapped in a cloth out. The Summoner stared at the bundle for a second before awkwardly offering it to Alfonse who took it.

“Um, I noticed you didn’t touch any of the desserts tonight. It’s a fish-shaped cake, mine was filled with red bean paste but I think there were other fillings,” the Summoner fiddled with their fingers. “It might be a bit stale after so long… You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to.”

Alfonse unfolded the cloth to find a taiyaki staring back at him. Taiyaki was one of the many Hoshidan desserts that had been served that night. It was a fish-shaped cake traditionally filled with red bean paste. Alfonse knew the kitchen added other fillings like custard and chocolate that night. He had a small fondness for sweets, though, he rarely allowed himself to indulge.

_I’m already allowing myself one luxury tonight, perhaps one more won’t hurt._

Alfonse took a bite of the cake; it was a little bit chewy as the taste of the dark chocolate filling danced on his tongue.

_It was bittersweet._

He could feel the corners of his eyes redden.

“Thank you, Summoner. For listening and for your kind words,” Alfonse said earnestly. Talking with the Summoner had quelled his lingering thoughts from the past week and even some from the past couple of years.

“Any time,” the Summoner hesitated, pondering their words before continuing, “I wouldn’t mind talking with you more. And about other things too if you want.” Alfonse instinctively wanted to say, ‘no.’ That this would be the only time he would allow such vulnerability. He stopped when he remembered the Summoner's words. He looked at the taiyaki in his hand and raised his head to meet the Summoner’s gaze.

“I will take you up on that offer sometime then,” Alfonse replied, averting his gaze from the Summoner’s smiling face. “We should sleep,” he said, noticing many of the lights below had gone out, “it’s getting quite late.” The Summoner nodded and followed Alfonse off the balcony, through the gilded doors and towards their bedchambers.

When they came to the hallway where they would split to go to their separate rooms, Alfonse came to a stop.

“Summoner, thank you again,” Alfonse nodded towards the hooded figure. “Have a good night.”

“You as well,” they replied. As Alfonse turned to leave, he paused when the Summoner called after him. “Oh, Alfonse. You can call me Kiran,” they said. Alfonse turned to face them, his face pulling into a smile that mirrored theirs.

“Of course, _Kiran_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original quote: The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy. -Jim Rohn  
> I think Alfonse would come off more awkward and colder from his aversion to befriend the Summoner and Heroes. He’s probably like late teens and has a ton of pressure from a bunch of sides which would affect his demeanour on top of his personality. He already had daddy issues so that’s not new. Of course, where would we be without our teen angst?  
> I love my boy nonetheless.  
> This also became like a huge dump of my various headcanons for both characters and the world. Sorry about how wordy it got ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ  
> Does anyone notice how Alfonse refers to people? Sharena and Zacharias are the only exceptions with Kiran being included at the end.


End file.
